Des Moines is a city of 212,421 people in Iowa. This skews young, with a median age of 34.6. The typical home is worth $194,700, having more than doubled since 2000. There are 2,409 people per square mile. The average commute runs 19 minutes. About 30% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $65,932, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Des Moines
What changed most since 1990
White share88.0% → 61.0%(−27.0 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median age32.4 → 34.6(+2.2 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Des Moines's population equals 42% of Polk County's. Its number of households without a car equals 67% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 61% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.5%(2,003)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.8%(1,458)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31%(2,537)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(455)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(113)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 8,179 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Des Moines, decade by decade
Des Moines population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
193,187
$64,089
$117,603
18.9%
27.5
2000
198,682
$69,966
$145,550
21.8%
44.3
2010
203,433
$63,553
$169,176
23.4%
59.5
2020
214,133
$66,472
$171,261
27.9%
73.1
2024
212,421
$65,932
$194,700
29.7%
72.8
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
